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Debate - "Crito, " by Plato, an

Questionable Laws & PeopleIn the article's of "Crito," by Plato, and "Letter from Birmingham Jail," by Martin Luther King, Jr., two writers make a case over whether it is moral or not to disobey laws. The question to be answered in our final paper asks whether we agree with what the Laws say about if Socrates was to escape and why we feel that way. It also asks how we think Martin Luther King would have responded to the judgment of the Laws of Athens. In this paper, I will address these questions as well as do a quick overview of each article. In "Crito," Plato uses Socrates as a tool to argue the point. Socrates is in jail for "preaching false gods" and "corrupting the youth" by causing them to doubt or disregard the wisdom of their elders. His friend Crito comes to visit and pleads with him to escape from his imprisonment and death sentence. Socrates asks Crito to give him one good reason that will hold up to scrutiny to persuade him, and then he will choose to escape. Crito brings up how people would think of him because he wouldn't spend his money to get his friend out of jail. Socrates goes on to nullify this argument by saying that opinions of the populace doesn't matter, only the opinion of the authority should be taken into consideration. Socrates also says that he shouldn't mind dying considering he had a long and full life. He goes on to point out that, the point of living is not to live long but to live well. Moreover, that to live well, one has to live honorably. He feels that he has lived a good life and if he were to escape, then he wouldn't be living honorably, thus not making life worth living. Crito gives him a few other reasons including; thinking about his family (who would raise his children?), thinking about his followers (they don't want him to die), and that the guilty verdict was wrong and unfair (few Athenians really wanted him put to death). Socrates then goes on to explain that his friends would raise his children, as...

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On the Crito
In Plato’s Crito, Crito attempts to persuade Socrates to flee from his death sentence. However, Crito fails because Socrates presents a counter argument which invalidates much of Crito’s original pleas. Despite this, a fallacy of justice may have been created. Even so, the Republic’s conception of justice seems to have little impact on Socrates’ existing ideas on justice.
The first argument presented is the fact that the majority will look down upon Crito and others for not preventing Socrates death; they will find it to be a “shameful thing both for you and for us” because it seems “that [Crito] let the opportunity slip because of some vice, such as cowardice” (46a). Another reason which he presents to Socrates is that Crito and the others are “justified in running the risk” of “further penalty” for helping him to flee from execution” (44e). While Socrates says that he fears for them, Crito goes on to elaborate that even the sum of money to help him escape is overall “not large” (45a). He expounds further that people are willing to support him wherever he might go (45c). Next, Crito goes on to mention Socrates two sons; Crito feels that by being executed when there is a possibility to escape, he is “betraying those sons” (45c), that “one ought to see their...

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An Analysis of
Plato’s Crito dialogue
by
Kimara Wright
March 22, 2010
Philosophy 101
Ms. Joan Beno
Rm. 3357
Introduction
Regarded as the wisest man in Athens, Greece, Socrates (born around 470 b.c.) was just that. Wearing shabby clothing and always walking around barefoot, Socrates spent his days discussing everything you can imagine. Athens was full of philosophers (known as Sophists, who charged money for their so-called knowledge) who thought they knew everything, and charged for their teachings. He considered himself to be like a midwife, helping to deliver the ideas of others, and determine their truth. Socrates wrote nothing. He ironically claims to know nothing. However, he had followers. These followers believed he knew even more than the Sophists. He believed that “the unexamined life is not worth living.” He lived on through the dialogues of his famed pupil, Plato. Socrates was a very unique human being. In order to have a conversation with him, you must have a very open mind. He wanted to be instructed by others. He always sought out the truth. He believed that we all ought to search for truth. He believed that human excellence is knowledge; that all wrongdoing is due to ignorance; and that the most important thing is to care for your soul. He believed that these things were the only things he did know. He coined a motto for his own life and purpose....

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Response Paper: The Crito
Socrates argues in the Crito that he shouldn't escape his death sentence because it isn't just. Crito and friends can provide the ransom the warden demands. If not for himself, Socrates should escape for the sake of his friends, sons, and those who benefit from his teaching. Socrates and Crito's argument proceeds from this point. There are many instances in Plato's the Crito where Socrates gives reasons for himself to stay in Athens and face his death. Arguments range from that of him being too old to run, to the common response two wrongs don't make a right. Socrates expresses that he is obligated to obey the laws of his city by living there, which means you should obey your parents and the morals in which you were raised. Socrates was very guided by reason.
In the stand Socrates takes, he argues that since he has lived in Athens all his life, he is required to stand his ground and take what's thrown his way, even if that punishment is death. Socrates says "do you think you have the right to retaliation against your country and its laws?" (Plato) Socrates was a master of words. It is easy to say that his intellect allowed him to make anyone see all sides of an argument. Even Crito at times is confused about his decision to free his friend, thinking that he is making the right decision. Socrates continues, "or do you think it possible for a city not to be...

...February 2015
Paper #1
In Meno, Plato believed that learning is recollection, as previously voiced by Socrates. Plato also believed that this argument was valid argument that because perception can deceive us, it can be wrong, so our knowledge must come from recollection. Setting this up as a deductive argument is simple. Stated by the IEP (Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy) “A deductive argument is an argument that is intended by the arguer to be (deductively) valid, that is, to provide a guarantee of the truth of the conclusion provided that the argument's premises (assumptions) are true.” So according to Plato’s believes that knowledge is recollection we can set up true premises to reach a guaranteed conclusion. The premises in this argument is that, if perception deceives us then knowledge is not perception. Then the conclusion to this statement in Plato’s case is that knowledge is recollection. This is a valid argument using the deductive reasoning strategy, which is because the premises are true then the conclusion must be true.
In the Meno, Plato goes into great detail in trying to prove that his premises are correct. He uses the example of the cave and how ones reality is shaped by perception but their knowledge is based on recollection. In the cave allegory the man is tied up and only sees puppets of real things but the things he is seeing are not the real things. They are just forms of the objects that are...

...expelled (C. D. C. Reeve, P-Apology 37d)” Admittedly, Socrates could probably have avoided death by recommending exile if he wanted to, but he chose not to do so. Then, what exactly, was in his mind? After having been sentenced to death, Socrates was sleeping in his prison cell awaiting his execution. Early in the morning, Crito visits Socrates and attempts to persuade him to escape the city before the execution. If we look into their dialogues, Socrates suggests examining whether he should do what Crito advises or not, defining himself as “a person who listens to nothing within him but the argument that on rational reflection seems best to him” (C. D. C. Reeve, P-Crito 46b). Here, Socrates seems to claim that he does not know anything, so will choose to do what appears to be the best to him through examining. Socrates uses this unique method of examining throughout the books of Apology, Crito and Republic by continuously questioning to figure out what seems the best. Then, the question is, what does he mean by “best” in the statement? I argue that it is neither his life nor his family, but what is just or justice.
It seems to me that Socrates’ statement at Crito 46b reflects his personal philosophy that one should examine his action whether it is just or unjust before performing it. According to Socrates, one should perform the action that is just and should not perform if it is an unjust action after...

...In this essay Plato is writing about Socrates who has been sentenced to death. Socrates is visited by his friend Crito who is trying to persuade Socrates to escape prison. Socrates says that he cannot escape unless doing so would be just and right. He says that " I cannot abandon the arguments I used to make in times past just because this situation has arisen: They look the same to me as before, and I respect and honor them as much as ever." After saying this Socrates and Crito expand their discussion and Socrates tries to use reason to determine whether the action of escaping prison is right or wrong.
In the beginning of the conversation Crito explains "People who do not know you and me will believe that I might have saved you if I had been willing to give money, but that I did not care. Now can there be a worse disgrace than this - that I would be thought to value money more than the life of a friend? For the many will not be persuaded that I wanted you to escape and that you refused. " Here Crito is trying to explain that he himself would be accused of not trying to help Socrates escape and of valuing money more than valuing his friend because no one will believe that Socrates would willingly face execution. Crito here is arguing that people will see him as an egoist, because he would be doing what is in his own self interest.
During this part of the conversation...

...virtues; an understanding of what courage, justice, and wisdom, truly meant (Jowett, 2009). At first glance, it seems that Socrates is promoting the appreciation of the traditional virtues, and is therefore a conservative. On the contrary, I will argue that Socrates' conservative rationale serves only as a diversion from his radical intentions. In defending this statement, I will first outline Socrates' conduct and motives in the Apology. Second, I will present the argument for how this behaviour can be interpreted as being conservative using narratives from Crito and The Republic. Lastly, I will argue why this behaviour instead demonstrates that Socrates was a radical.
In the Apology, Plato provides a narrative of Socrates' defence for using the elenchus, an exhaustive questioning method, to stir the position of Athenian citizens on traditional values (Jowett, 2009). Derived from various arguments in The Apology, Crito, and The Republic, it can be found that Socrates had two motives for his conduct. The first motive stems from his notion of benefit in the spiritual realm, which is derived from his theory of virtue. He held that the best life for humans is a life of virtue, and a life of virtue entailed striving to comprehend the true essence of values (Jowett, 2009). The practice of valuing true knowledge was seen to be intrinsically good for citizens, for it adhered to the success of the human soul (Jowett, 2009)....

...﻿Parliamentary form of government is better
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